U.S. Dec real earnings fell 0.6 pct

Biz.Yahoo/Reuters ^ | January 15, 2004

[Starwind]

U.S. Dec real earnings fell 0.6 pct
Thursday January 15, 8:30 am ET

 WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Labor Department monthly U.S.
real average weekly earnings data for nonsupervisory private
workers outside the farm sector, seasonally adjusted.
 Percent changes are for constant 1982 dollars, which
discount the effects of inflation.
 REAL AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS:
 Percent Changes:   Dec      Nov    Dec03/02
.                   -0.6      0.6     unch
 Constant 1982 dollars:
.                   Dec      Nov    Dec'02
.                 280.53   282.10   280.44
 Real average weekly earnings, in current dollars:
.                   Dec      Nov    Dec'02
.                 522.35   524.43   513.76
 COMPONENTS:                Dec
 Avg weekly hours        -0.6 pct
 Avg hourly earnings      0.2 pct
 CPI-W (urban/clerical)   0.2 pct

[Starwind]

The full BLS report is at REAL EARNINGS IN DECEMBER 2003

[Starwind]

Fyi...

[sarcasm]

Hmmm, real earnings for private sector workers seem to have declined 1.1% since 1982 - a clue as to why household debt is so high?

[sinkspur]

Hmmm, real earnings for private sector workers seem to have declined 1.1% since 1982 - a clue as to why household debt is so high?

Nope. Lots of people buy stuff they can't afford.